Recusance
by misminor
Summary: The 20th Ward was a peculiar place. For some reason, ghouls didn't seem to be a problem for them. And while it would be great if they could share their secret, it would seem as if they hated outsiders as much as everyone else hated ghouls. So of course, when Nagachika applied for a part-time job at the CCG, everyone was curious. Caution: Hide never lies. Outsider POV, Gen, AU
1. Chapter 1

Recusance: related to 'recusancy'

Recusancy: the act or state of being a 'recusant'

Recusant: one who refuses to accept or obey established authority; a person who refuses to submit to an or to comply with a regulation

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul.**

 **Warnings: AU; The 20th doesn't like outsiders; The 20th is a mystery; Possible OOCness from AU; Outsider POV; random plotbunny**

 **UnBeta'd**

* * *

To outsiders, the 20th Ward was a peculiar place.

It was unnervingly peaceful. Unlike the other Wards whose news stations were always featuring the latest ghoul attacks, the Nerima (1) Ward had no such thing covered in their broadcasts. The most violence they ever featured were car accidents or the rare petty robbery or accidental house fire.

Sometimes, the CCG would announce that a certain ghoul may be headed in whatever direction, but it was never to the 20th. If they ever did, the ghoul in question either disappeared and rapidly reappeared elsewhere or parts of their corpse would be found dismantled and gnawed away to the bone on the outskirts of the peaceful Ward.

They didn't seem to like outsiders from other Wards too much, either.

Kamii University and Seinan Gakuin University were two of the most prestigious Universities in Tokyo, and both were in the 20th Ward. Unfortunately, Kamii U only accepted students who were residents of the 20th Ward or those with stellar recommendations from a variety of its denizens in order to be considered – even then, they would have to undergo an unfairly rigorous entrance exam.

Seinan Gakuin U, however, was just as exclusive. Unlike Kamii University, Seinan Gakuin University accepted outsiders, but only those from the richest and most prestigious of families. There was the occasional scholarship student of course, but even they were mostly from the 20th Ward.

With the 20th's peaceful reputation of somehow being immune to ghoul attacks, coupled with the top two Universities being so restrictive in their student acceptances, a few families moved into the Ward in hopes of giving their children a better future, only to be met with wary distrust.

No one was really sure what happened to those families. Rumors said that they were quartered off away from the rest of the populous to prevent them from leaking the 20th's secrets to outsiders. Some said that they had their memories wiped as an initiation rite. Others said that they were sacrificed to the ghouls of the Ward to keep them pacified.

Of course, with such outrageous rumors, the amount of families willing to move dwindled dramatically, and despite having a CCG Branch Office located in the 20th, investigations were halted by the very public they were supposed to serve and protect.

It was strange.

At first, it seemed that the denizens of the 20th Ward were just xenophobic against their neighbors. However, once the CCG Branch Office was introduced to the public of the 20th, protests ran rampant. People claimed that there was no need for them to be there, and any attempts that were seen as interrogative were met with uncooperative masses.

Because of such strong reactions, the Investigators promptly scanned the people in question to see if they were ghouls in disguise. Strangely enough, their RC Readers read human levels and the Investigators were promptly yelled at for their "lack of decency."

Needless to say, the Commission of Counter Ghoul had a strained relationship with the residents of the 20th Ward, and the Branch Office in that Ward was little more than a storage unit.

So when Nagachika Hideyoshi's job application for a part-time position landed on Division II Chief Marude's desk, eyebrows were raised and by the end of the hour, everyone in the CCG Headquarters knew that there was an applicant from the infamous 20.

* * *

 **(1) Nerima Ward = 20th Ward**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul**

 **Warning: Alternate Universe; Possible OOCness; Marude is a grump lol; Outsider POV - Itsuki Marude**

 **UnBeta'd**

* * *

Division II Chief Marude didn't know what he expected when he had his secretary set up an interview for Nagachika, but it certainly wasn't… _This._

Given the 20th's hostile disposition for a Ward ironically renowned for its peaceful nature, he had endured headache upon headache at the thought of having someone from the Nerima (1) Ward join a task force filled with ' _outsiders_ ,' as they were oh so _affectionately_ named.

Infamous for their distrust of outsiders and their us-versus-everyone-else mob mentality, there had been many reports of past assaults on CCG Investigators for "invasion of privacy." No one had ever thought that anyone from that Ward would ever dare to venture out of their little hidey-hole, let alone try to join the very organization they loathed.

But contrary to anyone's expectations, instead of a surly, antagonistic young man, standing before him was a mop of dark roots on dirty blond hair and a disturbingly cheerful grin. He looked like a damn sunflower.

 _What the fuck._

Restraining a sigh, Marude gestured for the humanoid daisy to take a seat across his desk and tried to brace himself for the incoming headache. Picking up Nagachika's application, Marude pretended to read as he leafed through it – as if he hadn't already gone over it a thousand times before.

 _Name: Nagachika Hideyoshi_

 _Age: 19_

 _Ward: 20_

 _Desired Position: Investigator Assistant – Part-time_

 _Education: Currently attending Kamii University_

…

First of all, there was no way this kid was 19. At best, he had to be 16, _at most_. And a Kamii U student?

Marude eyed Nagachika skeptically.

 _That_ school? No way. He looked like he belonged out on a muddy soccer field, not in a library trying to keep up with that school's infamously insane course load.

Actually, he mentally corrected himself, everything about the 20th was insane. They just made no sense.

Quitting all pretense, Marude dropped the paperwork onto his desk and sighed, leaning back on his chair. "You said you're from the 20th Ward, correct?"

"Yep!" Nagachika piped. "That's right! Born and bred!"

Marude was sure his skepticism was tangible but the boy didn't seem to be affected by it.

"Are you sure?"

"Well, it's written on my birth certificate–"

 _Aannd…no._

He had no time for this.

"Tell me, Nagachika," Marude interrupted, no longer wanting to beat around the bush. "Why do you want to join us? As far as I recall, your people aren't exactly… _fond_ of 'outsiders,' as you all tend to proclaim."

The kid laughed, reclining on his chair, annoyingly relaxed. "Well, no one else wanted to do it, and I thought, 'What the heck. Why not?'"

Marude looked at him incredulously. "Pardon?"

"Well," Nagachika started, "there was no way we would let Outsiders –" Marude swore he could practically hear the capital O "–just come and go, you know? None of you guys know the _rules,_ and you guys just went and built that Branch Office of yours in our Ward – see what I'm getting at?"

The Division Chief gave a shallow nod. But no, he didn't see – not really. This kid said 'rules' as if it was the only thing governing the 20th, as if the laws that regulated all of Tokyo's Wards didn't apply.

"And we couldn't exactly tell you Outsiders the _rules_ , so of course none of you would understand or follow them –"

 _What? That's counterproductive as hell!_ How else would they be able to interact with them without offending their asinine sensibilities?

" – and you guys just kept _pushing_ ," Nagachika sighed as if this whole headache was their fault. "And it was getting really annoying, so we decided that if _anyone_ from the CCG had to be stationed in our Ward, it had to be someone from the 20th – someone who knew the _rules_. And like I said," he grinned, "no one else wanted to do it, so I decided to be a Good Samaritan and sacrifice myself for the greater good."

"Sacri–?!" Marude stopped himself, taking a deep breath to calm himself and that twitch forming at his eye. _Ah, there was the headache_. He didn't miss it one bit. "And why, pray tell, couldn't you just simply _enlighten_ us to these 'rules' of yours, hmm? I would assume that would be a much simpler solution to this problem."

Nagachika, the cheeky brat, had the nerve to scoff. "There's no way that would ever happen. Like I said, you guys are Outsiders. We can't just give out Ward secrets to just anyone."

"But we aren't just 'anyone'," _you little hellion_ , "we're the CCG. The government. Not some riffraff or ghoul out on the streets."

The blond gave him a strange look before shrugging. "Doesn't matter. You're still not one of us."

Marude gave the boy a glare and Nagachika had no qualms meeting his stare head on as if he had no care in the world.

 _The disrespectful brat._

After a while, the Division Chief opened his mouth. "And what if we don't hire you?"

Nagachika shrugged, uncaring. "Well, I'd assume that the Ward would just sabotage any attempts to get into 20, government or not. This way is just the peaceful route."

Marude leaned forward to prop his elbows onto his desk, giving Nagachika a cold stare from behind his linked fingers. "Are you threatening us?"

Nagachika's lips twitched sardonically in his easy languor. "Didn't you hear what I said? I said, 'assume.' It's all hypothetical conjecture."

"We could always lock you up," Marude offered, feigning an amiable tone. "It'd be easy. You're already here in my office, surrounded by Investigators from every direction."

The boy looked amused. "Under what pretense? You have no grounds. I just came here for an interview."

Now it was Marude's turn to shrug. "Suspicion of terrorist acts against the government. Attempted infiltration. Who knows? We could always come up with something. No one aside from the CCG knows that you're here for an interview, after all."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong." Nagachika grinned. "Everyone in 20 knows I'm here."

"So? It's not like you guys talk to anyone aside from yourselves. And the Wards that surround 20 are infested with cannibalistic ghouls. As soon as anyone tries to venture out, they'd get eaten."

Nagachika hummed with a Cheshire's smile. "You say that we don't communicate, but our news broadcasts with rest of the other Wards. We could easily let everyone in Tokyo know that the CCG wrongfully imprisoned an innocent college student from the 20th who was only trying for a job interview." The brat tutted at him, shaking his head. "Here's this young boy from 20, trying to spread his wings despite the _terrible_ relationship his Ward has with the CCG. And what does he get in return?"

"We could call you a ghoul."

"And who'd be stupid enough to believe that? What kind of ghoul would voluntarily enter this place through the front door? If anything, it'll just make your "ghoul-sensing" technology look faulty, and people will start to question how many 'ghouls' you guys imprisoned and killed were actually ghouls at all. Or if ghouls are even real, for that matter. Everyone loves a government conspiracy."

"We could just stop the broadcast, instead."

"And gain everyone's suspicions? You Outsiders tend to watch the news, right? Having to watch out for ghouls and all." He said it somewhat dubiously – as if no one in the 20th ever had to do such a thing, like the very thought was ridiculous. "They'd start asking why the news didn't air. And even if you only cut off 20's portion, everyone already knows that it broadcasts between 19 and 21. People would notice."

"Simple. The broadcast towers got damaged from a ghoul attack."

"Even if you somehow stage that, people would still talk," Nagachika countered. "And do you really think that no one from the 20th would come out to spread the news? If they'd get eaten the moment they'd step out of Nerima, how do you think I made it here? Contrary to popular belief, we _do_ know people living outside of 20, and the rumor mill is always looking for something to feed on. And who knows, hehe, ' _maybe the 20th hates the CCG for a reason!_ ' or something, might just become more than dismissed whispers on the streets."

Marude raised a brow, ignoring the little snicker. "You isolationists actually talk to 'outsiders'?"

"Nah," Nagachika grinned. "Not Outsiders. They're one of us – they just happen to live in other Wards."

 _Well, that was new._

Marude didn't know what sounded stranger: Nerima isolationists actually going out of their comfort zone to live elsewhere, or the fact that anyone would forsake the 20th's mysteriously efficient anti-ghoul security to live in fear of becoming a potential meal.

 _These people were so backwards. And yet…_

"Well," the Division Chief sighed, "it would seem that my options here are rather limited, Nagachika." The brat had the gall to grin unrepentantly at him. "I could hire you and the chaos that you will no doubt drag along with you, or I could imprison you for suspected terrorism and deal with potential fallout."

"And drag the CCG's reputation to the ground," Nagachika oh-so- _helpfully_ added.

"Yes," Marude said wryly. "That too."

 _Hmm…What to do, what to do?_

Marude sighed.

 _Really, as if there was even a choice._

He stood up and went around his desk to Nagachika. The boy stood up to meet him. The brat didn't even have the decency to look even remotely nervous.

"I wish I didn't have to do this, Nagachika," Marude scowled. "I just hope I don't regret this."

 _Well, shit._

 _Goodbye peace and quiet, I hardly knew ye._

* * *

 **(1) Nerima Ward = 20th Ward**

 **Lol Hide is a little shit. I hope I captured Marude well enough.**

 **R &R!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul**

 **Warning: AU; Possible OOCness; Misunderstandings and Misconceptions; Outsider POV - Mado Akira**

 **UnBeta'd**

* * *

Mado Akira wasn't quite sure what to make of the newest addition to the team. They said that he came from the infamous 20th Ward, but he didn't look or act like anything she had expected.

On his first day on duty, Division II Chief Marude had introduced Nagachika to the rest of the Division during a case meeting. Of course, there wasn't really a need for the introduction; everyone already knew about the boy from the 20th before he was even hired. His appearance was a surprise, however, with sunflower hair and a smile that could make flowers bloom.

He was sunshine personified. A pleasant surprise in their dreary world.

 _That smile would vanish soon enough,_ Akira had thought. She hoped to be proved wrong.

With his sheltered lifestyle back in 20, the daily reports of death and gore he'd have to be exposed to would break him sooner or later. And, if worse came to worst, he may have to partake in a ghoul suppression mission in the future – perhaps not in the front lines, but intelligence still had to be gathered somehow.

Everyone had been skeptical, of course. They hadn't expected someone so young. And when they had first heard that the newbie was supposedly going to Kamii University, of all places – well, they had expected someone more… studious-looking. Surely this Nagachika character couldn't possibly be a student there.

But he proved them wrong, and they shortly discovered why Kamii U had accepted him with open arms, showcasing his skill and proving to them all that he was more than just a pretty face.

He did his work efficiently enough and contributed to meetings with enough analysis to shame the research and strategic departments. However, he was fairly tight-lipped when he wanted to be, verbally running circles around whichever unfortunate soul he decided would be his victim of the day. Though to be fair, his targets tended to be the sort of fools that loved to input their own two cents.

That is, two cents worth of embarrassingly ignorant, uneducated blather that they'd try to string into coherent sentences in an attempt to make themselves not look uninformed.

Nagachika seemed to take joy in these moments and would never fail to tear them into pieces with the most amiable smile on his face. He'd leave his unfortunate victims torn asunder with backhanded compliments and saccharine smiles, all the while acting as if they were all the best of friends, and generally having the time of his life. They'd only come out of their stupor and realize what a fool he'd made of them long after his departure and the meetings would then adjourn with the faintest hints of embarrassment. Everyone else would try to pretend they saw nothing while the aforementioned victims would try to salvage the remaining scraps of dignity they had left.

It wasn't to say that he was abrasive or antagonistic or that he contributed to a hostile work environment. On the contrary, Nagachika Hideyoshi was actually a very friendly young man. He was very easy to get along with, and tended to brighten up the room with his ever-cheerful demeanor. He hardly ever argued with anyone either, so it wasn't like he got into fights with anyone like they had all thought would happen, given his Ward's infamous 'hospitality' to strangers.

She wondered if he saw anyone in the office as a comrade _._ _His amiable smile was such a clever disguise._ She sometimes wondered if he ever got tired of wearing it.

His casual, languid appearance belied his work ethic. His hair wasn't within regulations, for one. And despite having been given a uniform, whenever he wore it, it always somehow managed to look unprofessional – as if he was making a fashion statement instead, despite not actually altering it in any way.

Akira swore it was the hair.

It only got worse when he grew it out.

Instead of looking like a humanoid sunflower, he turned into a flower-boy (1). And regardless of what the other women in the office thought, Nagachika _wasn't_ there to boost morale by being their resident eye-candy. Especially when he was so, _so young._

Yet, despite always coming into work like he was going to a fashion show of some sort (a few of her co-workers had asked her why Nagachika was working _here_ of all places instead of some modeling agency) and generally causing 90% of the headaches their Division Chief had to endure, Akira had to admit that Nagachika had to have been the best assistant they've had in the team thus far.

By the end of the month, Nagachika had wormed his way into the CCG Headquarters and probably knew the life story of every single Investigator he had met. It was impressive how the young man could dig out information from people without them even realizing it and without having to give a bit of his own in turn.

Rather than work as a mere assistant that was little better than a glorified secretary, Akira thought he'd be better suited to work full-time as a regular agent in the intelligence department. He could probably coax out information from the ghouls in Cochlea better than anyone else.

But Nagachika worried her sometimes. It wasn't because he took to hanging out with Takizawa, her old school rival, during lunch or anything like that. It was his intelligence that worried her, or rather, his seemingly insatiable appetite for information.

He unearthed secrets like the morning bird unearthed worms.

It didn't escape her notice how he was always subtly wriggling information out of every nook and crevice and every conversation. Sometimes, she found, he didn't even need a conversation in order find some sort of information. He told her, once, of how the faintest expressions and slightest movements could say a lot more than mere words. How the things left unsaid spoke louder than what was often verbally spoken.

Once, when his shift was about to end, he had told her something strange out of the blue.

"You should talk to him," he had said suddenly, pointing out one of the Investigators they had passed.

And with that, Nagachika had left her to her own devices, bewildered, as his shift ended.

Later, she passed by the Investigator Nagachika was talking about, and conversed with him for a little bit before noticing the strangeness in how he favored one arm. The man had given her a look of surprise upon her inquiry.

"It's a bit swollen," he had admitted. "I mean, it hurts, but it's nothing new. I probably just pulled a muscle or something when I was fighting that ghoul the other day."

She had frowned at him in response and told him to go to Medical. They needed all their Investigators to be in top shape when facing off those man-eating demons.

He was stubborn though, and insisted that he was fine, but he cowed when she glared. Just in case, she made sure to accompany him to ensure that he would go and let his arm get checked.

Half an hour later, he had come out of the doctor's office with an arm brace and was sent home, and Akira was thanked by the Investigator for making sure he got his arm looked at.

"The doctor said that if I hadn't come in, I might have ended up with a broken arm instead of just a stress fracture," the man had said solemnly. He gave her a deep bow. "If you hadn't had me come in, I might have lost my life out there in the field for my stubbornness. Thank you."

She later heard the man had been reassigned to pushing papers.

She saw Nagachika again the following day.

"How did you know about his arm?" she had asked him.

He had blinked at her for a moment before grinning. "It was obvious. It was a good thing you took him to Medical. He probably would have made it worse swinging that quinque around."

"How-?!"

"Did I know you took him?" He'd let out an amused huff. "No one else noticed it and I brought it to your attention. And you're passionate enough about the CCG that you wouldn't let a comrade get himself killed because of something stupid, if you could help it. Duh."

She frowned. The 'duh' was rather unnecessary. "Why didn't you do it yourself?"

He shrugged and clasped his hands behind his head. "I was running late to class and I knew that if I brought it to your attention, you'd figure it out and do something about it. And you did."

And with that, he left her once again and she was left stunned in his wake.

So it wasn't to say that he never contributed anything to the team. He was frighteningly astute and his deductions and analysis were extremely accurate, making him an invaluable member of the Intelligence Department. Whenever he had the chance, he also never failed to come into work with the most delicious coffee in existence.

"Where do you get this coffee?" Amon had asked, savoring his share of caffeinated heaven. "It's delicious."

"Isn't it?" Nagachika had grinned. "No one can beat the coffee from 20!"

Hearing of its origins, everyone became disappointed. They all knew there would be no way for them to get any on their own. They'd have to depend on Nagachika's charity.

In the end, they came up with a deal of sorts. Nagachika would buy them coffee, and – well, if Nagachika's paycheck happened to be a bit bigger than usual, no one noticed.

Nagachika was intelligent, Akira had no doubt about that. But she still worried about his inquisitive nature. She feared that he may eventually poke his nose in the wrong hole and land himself in the sort of trouble he couldn't talk circles around. Given his latest hobby of subtly insulting their less intelligent co-workers, Akira had every right to worry about her younger co-worker. They had enough enemies outside their walls. They didn't need them within.

His intellect was a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands _. It was a good thing he was on their side._ She just hoped it would stay that way.

So when she started noticing suspicious characters spying on her younger colleague every time his shifts would start, she worried if Nagachika had bit off more than he could chew. She didn't say anything though, confident that Nagachika was smart enough to come for help if he didn't think he could handle it.

As the days went by, however, Akira began to doubt the young man's sense of self-preservation. Instead of just stalking the boy to work and leaving as soon as he'd enter the building, the suspicious characters began staking out the premises, taking to sitting idly by on one of the benches out front. Sometimes, she noticed, they would change 'shifts' and a new person would wait until it was time to follow Nagachika home.

It was usually just one person, but sometimes it would be two. On one occasion, there were three. All usually wearing nondescript clothing, hunched over with a hood on. Despite the baggy clothing, however, she could still make out a vaguely robust figure.

They looked like thugs.

So when she and Amon had left the front doors of the Headquarters, she felt that she had every right to be worried when she spotted a heavily tattooed man, sitting rather languidly upon a bench, seeming to be staring rather intently in their direction. She couldn't tell for sure, however. His sunglasses blocked his eyes from view.

As they slowly passed by, she noticed his gaze never seemed to waver from the direction of the CCG Headquarters' front doors. What alarmed her was when the tattooed man stood up and walked towards the now-emerging Nagachika Hideyoshi.

Amon must have noticed, for he stopped and took a step towards Nagachika's direction.

"I hope he didn't stir up trouble with the wrong sort," she said grimly. Hopefully he didn't poke his nose in the wrong place, as he was wont to do at work.

"Let's hope not," Amon replied.

They walked back towards Nagachika, desperately hoping that their presence could prevent an open dispute. It would just be their luck to find their Division Assistant having a tiff with the local Yakuza, of all people (2). It would have been so much better if his stalkers were just some random street thugs. But of course, Nagachika had to get involved with a crime syndicate, instead.

"Yo, Hide-kun." The tattooed man lifted a hand in a lazy wave.

They saw Nagachika blink as they advanced, before breaking out into a wide grin. "Uta!" Then, to their surprise, their resident sunflower skipped merrily towards the Yakuza, as if all was right in the world.

The two Investigators briefly exchanged looks before continuing their trek towards their younger teammate. After all, they couldn't trust Nagachika's supposed amiability. He wore it often enough in his verbal assaults that they could never tell whether or not he was genuinely being friendly or being affably antagonistic.

"Are you here to walk me home?" They heard the blond tease, "Did you miss my greatness, is that it?" Then, he perked up, seeing them approach from behind the tattooed man, waving with a wide grin on his face. "Amon, Akira!"

The unknown man turned to face them.

Up close, they could see his unique hairstyle with shocking clarity – half was shaved off. He sported designer sunglasses to match his stylish clothes, all accented with a plethora of tattoos and multiple piercings on his ears, eyebrows, and mouth. His heavily tattooed arms were bare and well-toned.

He looked every bit a gangster, no matter how stylish his clothing.

"Uta," Nagachika introduced cheerfully, "these are my co-workers, Amon and Akira! Guys, this is my friend Uta!"

 _'Friend'?!_ She tried to hide her incredulity, though she wasn't too sure how successful she was.

"Nice to meet you," Uta said politely. "Thank you for taking care of Hide-kun."

It was kind of jarring how polite he was. He still looked rather dangerous, but at least with the plethora of tattoos and piercings, they could confirm that there was no way this Uta character was a ghoul. It was just too bad that human criminals were out of their jurisdiction.

"You as well," the two Investigators replied, albeit uncertainly.

"What brings you here, Uta-san?" Amon asked.

Uta quirked his lips upwards. They must have looked rather defensive, for the man looked far to amused at the situation. "A certain someone was worried about Hide-kun working here."

And didn't that sound ominous?

"Ehhhh?" Nagachika groaned, looking comically exasperated. "Really? If anything, _I_ should be the one worried about _him!_ God knows he needs someone to look after him." Nagachika eyed the man suspiciously. "And how come it's you today? Aren't you, like, usually really busy?"

Uta nodded placidly, giving a shrug. "It's a nice change of pace, and I'm sure my men can handle things while I'm gone."

Akira blanched at the implications.

 _Oh my god, what was Nagachika doing with an oyabun (3) of all people?!_

"I also thought it'd be entertaining," Uta continued. "It's been rather boring lately, and I was actually on my way over to the 14th –" Amon and Akira turned a faint shade of blue at the thought of someone voluntarily wanting to go to such a volatile Ward – "but it'd be nice to see the 20th again."

Akira blinked. "'Again'?"

Nagachika grinned. "Yep! Uta lives in the 4th! He rarely visits us in the 20th nowadays."

 _Oh, that was right._ She remembered Marude saying something about people from the 20th moving out into other Wards.

"4th?" Amon frowned in confusion. "Sorry, but I thought you guys didn't let, uh, 'outsiders' into Nerima…" _Especially criminals._

Nagachika blinked owlishly at him. "Yeah, but Uta's not an Outsider. He's one of us."

"O-oh. I, uh, see?"

Briefly, she wondered if Nagachika was as innocent as he seemed. _'One of us' indeed._

Uta smiled at Amon, seemingly taking pity on him. "I just happen to live outside of Nerima, but they still consider me one of theirs, so I can come and go as I please."

"But why would you ever want to live outside of the 20th?" Amon asked dubiously. "Their ghoul security is unparalleled."

Uta hummed, stuffing his hands languidly in his pant pockets. "Life's more interesting outside. More… _exciting_."

 _And more Yakuza activity, as well_ , she bet. After all, if the 20th could defend itself from ghouls well enough, what's to say about organized human crime syndicates?

"Well," Nagachika started, rocking on his heels and scratching on his cheek. "We better get going. Wouldn't want 'Neki to freak out on us for being late. See you guys tomorrow!"

Uta nodded his assent. "Yes, as entertaining as he is, I don't really feel like picking a fight with him at the moment."

"Who?" Akira asked, curious.

Uta gestured to Nagachika. "His best friend." He bowed shallowly to the two Investigators. "It was nice meeting you two. Have a nice day."

Startled, they returned the bow and watched as the two walked off in a daze.

As the two departed, they saw Nagachika turn to Uta with a grin. "Pfft! He's like a harmless kitten. You know he won't do anything!"

"Tell that to Ayato-kun," Uta hummed, turning to his companion curiously. "Do you know how many of Ayato-kun's bones he broke when he made Touka-chan cry? I was surprised. I didn't think he'd had it in him."

 _What._

Akira never noticed her feet moving to follow them. Amon was right beside her.

Incredulously, they watched as Nagachika waved it off, unconcerned. "Nah. He didn't tell me much, but I knew he'd had a bad couple of weeks then."

Uta hummed. "I suppose anyone who'd have to deal with that many amputated fingers wouldn't be in a good mood."

 _Fingers? Bad weeks? Amputations?_

Akira was stunned, rooted in place.

 _Yubitsume?! (4)_

"Didn't he disembowel your Senior for dragging you into their fight?"

 _What._

"Wha-? Where'd you hear about that?! – Oh. Right. Dumb question. Anyway, that was just him being protective. And the hospital was, like, just a block away."

 _What?!_

"Senpai survived," Nagachika continued blithely. "And that all happened before he and Senpai became friends! So that doesn't' count."

Why was Nagachika so nonchalant? _Disembowelment!_ She looked over to her partner, wondering if she was possibly hearing things. His perturbed expression spoke for itself.

"Hmm, yes, I know." Uta hummed, their voices fading into the distance. "I hope my coffee doesn't get poisoned. It'd be such a waste. That coffee is delicious."

"I know," Nagachika gloated, idly clasping his hands behind his head. "I doubt he'd do that though. Aren't you guys allies?"

Absently, Akira wondered if the thugs – _Yakuza,_ her mind supplied – were actually Nagachika's protection detail instead. She wondered how high-up this 'Neki' character was in their criminal food-chain. By the sound of it, Akira wouldn't be surprised if he was another oyabun. Regardless, this 'Neki' character's syndicate must be extremely close allies with Uta-Oyabun for the man to be trusted with Nagachika's protection.

That is, if Nagachika really was the " _best friend"_ of this 'Neki' criminal. Really, what role did Nagachika play into their unlawful activities?

"I'm kind of concerned about Nagachika," Akira admitted rather helplessly as the two disappeared into the distance.

"Yes," Amon nodded. "I'm starting to wonder about that friend of his."

"Uta-san, or Nagachika's supposed 'best friend'?"

"Both."

"Me too," Akira agreed faintly. "But I'm slightly more concerned about what kind of people he surrounds himself with. They seem criminal."

Akira wondered, however, what kind of environment was Nerima as a whole, that allowed Nagachika Hideyoshi to thrive and grow, hardly batting an eyelash at the absurd violence his 'best friend' committed. But given the violence that seemed to surround him, Nagachika's genius and his mastery in subtle insults began to make sense.

She only hoped that the Nerima denizens' infamous hostile demeanor wasn't indicative of criminal activity. Though, frankly, it would make sense if that were the case.

She wondered what the chances were of the 20th's populous all being affiliated with the Yakuza. Nerima as a whole couldn't possibly be their home base, could it?

"We can talk to him about it tomorrow," Amon offered.

"If he's still alive by tomorrow, you mean."

"By the sounds of it, it should be Uta-san we should be worried about."

Akira hummed non-committedly.

And with that, the two Investigators parted ways. It wasn't like they'd be able to do anything to help their junior co-worker – what with them being 'outsiders' and all, and if they prolonged his departure, it sounded as if this 'Neki' character would just act out even worse.

Hopefully, Nagachika would be well tomorrow. He could explain himself then. Preferably with all of his fingers attached.

But for now, she needed to go home and collect her thoughts.

And review her initial impressions of Nagachika's character.

And consult Marude.

* * *

 **And now for the A/N with a dash of Japanese history:**

 **(1) flower-boy =** pretty boy; ikemen

 **(2)** In Japan, tattoos are heavily associated with the Yakuza. During the Kofun period (300-600 AD), tattoos began to have negative connotations as they were used as a form of punishment to criminals. It wasn't until the Meiji Era (1868 - 1912) that tattoos became illegal, thus bringing and mostly isolating the art to the underground world of the Yakuza. The law was passed in 1872 and was effective until 1948. Despite no longer being an illegal art, it still has deeply rooted ties and connotations with the Japanese Yakuza. Various public establishments such as onsens, bath houses, and fitness centers ban people with tattoos, and various workplaces such as famous companies, law enforcement, and government jobs will not hire anyone with a tattoo and will fire employees that do have them unless they get it removed. Some job applications even state to not apply if you have a tattoo.

Even some western foreigners who have fashion tattoos are subject to the Japanese people's discrimination against tattoos.

 **(3) oyabun =** Boss of a Yakuza family. Equivalent to the Don of the Italian Mafia or the Dragon Head of the Chinese Triad.

 **(4) Yubitsume =** "finger shortening" It is the ritual of self-mutilation as an act of penance to the oyabun and the most common finger to be cut is the little finger. It is used for various purposes: to atone for an offense to another, a form of punishment - voluntary or as an order by the oyabun or superior, a way to show a sincere apology, or even as an alternative form of payment if one was not able to pay off a gambling debt.

The act is mostly exclusive to the Yakuza, and started during the samurai age. In Japanese swordsmanship, the pinkie and ring fingers are the ones that have the tightest grip on the hilt of the sword. The index fingers, middle fingers, and thumbs were held in a looser fashion to better absorb shock and maintain flexible grip when swinging the sword in battle.

Because the fingers that are amputated are the ones that are the most critical in gripping the sword, the amputee would never be able to grip his sword properly, critically weakening him in battle, and making him more vulnerable and dependent on his boss for protection.

 **...**

 **Basically, Akira thinks that this "Neki" guy had a lot of his people perform Yubitsume, which is why he had a "bad couple of weeks." Not because of the act itself, but what it signified: either a lot of betrayals or acts of insubordination that had to be atoned for.**

 **Honestly, what was such a cheery guy like Nagachika doing with criminals?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul**

 **Warning: AU; Possible OOCness; Misunderstandings and Misconceptions; Crossdressing; Outsider POV - Takizawa Seido**

 **UnBeta'd**

* * *

When the new guy, Nagachika Hideyoshi, first made his appearance in the HQ, Takizawa Seido didn't really think too much of it. Yeah, he was curious, but who wouldn't be?

He was friendly enough, and he never really picked a fight with anyone. Well, physically, anyway.

It was a completely different story in the conference rooms. Nagachika was absolutely _savage_ when he tore into people. Takizawa had accidentally stepped on the blond's proverbial tail once. He really didn't feel like doing that again anytime soon.

Outside of conferences, however, Takizawa liked to think that he and Nagachika were friends.

Their lunches usually coincided, so they often had lunch together. He would have the obentou (1) his mother packed for the day, and Nagachika would either eat a bento that his best-friend had made for him or the canteen's food for whenever he forgot to bring his lunch to work with him.

Though, to be honest, Takizawa felt rather dubious towards the 'best-friend' label. Because honestly, there was no way on Earth someone would take the time to make a bento for someone if they weren't related unless there were feelings involved.

But then again, Nagachika had said that he and his 'best-friend' had grown up together.

"Brothers in all but blood," the blond had said.

Oddly enough, his eternal rival, Mado Akira, who had been sitting by them at the time, had began muttering to herself (something about _sakazuki_ (2) of all things) once Nagachika had explained his platonic-turned-familial relationship with his best-friend.

Honestly, he wasn't really sure what was going on with the Second Division – Amon and Akira – mostly Akira – had a private meeting with their Division Chief one day, and had taken to eyeing Nagachika like a hawk afterwards.

Nagachika Hideyoshi had been with them for a couple months already, and since he hadn't done anything suspicious, Takizawa didn't think there was anything he had to be suspicious of. Besides, it wasn't a secret that he and Nagachika oftentimes hung out for lunch. If there was anything serious, he was sure they would have taken him to the side to talk about the dirty blond. The fact that they hadn't assuaged any doubts he had about the guy.

Well, that and the fact that when he had confronted Mado about it, she had shaken her head and told him it was none of his concern. Of course, he had glared at his rival for her answer, asserting that their suspicious glances and not-so secretive mutterings involved his friend, so _of course_ it concerned him.

At that, she had given him a hard, searching look, before softening.

"We're… concerned for him," she'd finally admitted. "That's all I can say on the matter. It's not my place to divulge Nagachika's personal affairs."

And with that, she had bid him goodbye and the two had gone their separate ways.

That was a few weeks ago.

While concerning, he didn't think that Amon would would be anymore forthcoming if he had turned to question him, either. Eventually, Takizawa decided to ask his friend about it on their way from clocking out for their lunch break. To his surprise, the faux blond just blinked owlishly at him before snickering.

"Oh, that?" Nagachika rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about it. I think they have some sort of misunderstanding going on."

Takizawa blinked. "What do you mean?"

"For some reason, they think I surround myself with 'questionable people' at home and am living in a 'dangerous environment,'" Nagachika said, making quotation marks with his fingers.

"Don't you live in the 20th Ward?" Takizawa furrowed his brows. "That's like, the safest place in the country!"

Nagachika shrugged. "Right? Isn't it more dangerous out here where no one knows who's human or not? At least back home, everyone knows who and what their neighbors are."

Takizawa felt a not so small sliver of envy at that. While intellectually he knew of this unique attribute of Nagachika's home Ward, it did nothing to assuage his desire to have a share of that prosperity. "Must be nice…"

"Yeah, it is. Doesn't mean there aren't any fights that break out though, but arguments are normal everywhere you go so…"

Takizawa just shrugged silently in response. He didn't really know what to say without sounding like a jealous jerk.

"Oh!" Nagachika suddenly exclaimed, slapping a hand to his face with a groan. "I forgot my lunch! Again!"

"Canteen food again, huh?" Takizawa guessed sympathetically.

"Nuh-uh." The blond shook his head with a grimace. "No way, man! It's poison, I tell you! Poison! No, I'm gonna go eat out this time. Wanna come?"

"Sure."

"You got another bento, right? I'll get take-out."

On their way out, they stopped by Takizawa's desk to pick up his bento before proceeding to the front entrance. They chatted about mundane things and poked fun at each other good-naturedly.

As they neared the RC Gate at the lobby, Takizawa spotted a white figure at the sitting area on the other side of the gate. Sitting demurely before him was a pretty young woman with big grey eyes. Her white hair was cut in a bob. She sported a simple white dress, accented only with a black turtleneck underneath and a black belt on her small waist. On her lap was unmistakably a bento box wrapped in a black and white checkered cloth. Her attention was focused solely on the novel she had in her hands.

As if feeling the weight of his attention, the pretty girl tore her gaze from her book and looked up at them.

Takizawa felt his neck burn, his pulse reverberating loudly in his warm ears.

"Ah," she started. Her voice was quiet and rang through the lobby like delicate wind chimes. "Hide-kun!"

"Yo," he heard beside him.

And before he knew it, Takizawa was brought out of his stupor when Nagachika blocked his view as he entered through the RC Gate. Stiffly, he followed, shuffling awkwardly behind as he passed though the gate after the blond.

As he moved, those big grey orbs followed and he stiffened up once more, ears ringing with his heartbeat.

"Hello." The angel smiled at him, voice soft and gentle. Her book was put away and suddenly she was walking towards them – and… _where did all the oxygen go?_ "I'm Sasako. Thank you for taking care of Hide-kun. I hope he wasn't too troublesome."

 _"Sasako"? Was that her first name? Last name? Oh my god, whatifthatwasherfirstname?!_

He cleared his throat in a poor attempt to disguise his choke. "Ta- I'm Takizawa Seido. And uh- I mean, it's a pleasure. To meet you, I mean," he stammered. He was so uncool. "Nagachika's fine."

His face couldn't possibly get any hotter. _How embarrassing._ He couldn't even form a sentence properly. Thankfully, she didn't say anything about it.

Instead, she turned her attention back to Nagachika.

"Hide-kun." She frowned, holding up her clothed package. "You forgot your obentou again!"

Nagachika rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry. I won't forget next time. Thanks, _Sasako-chan_."

Sasako blushed prettily and Takizawa's heart sank. "Hinami-chan wanted to play dress up," she mumbled. "Do I look weird?"

"Hahaha, don't worry about it, _Sasako-chan._ " Nagachika leaned in towards her with a teasing grin. "You look cute no matter what you wear~."

"Hide-kun!" She cried, pouting her puffy cheeks. "Don't be mean! I won't make your bentos anymore!" She turned away with the bento clutched in hand. "I'll just give this one to Papa instead."

"Ehh? Neki! I mean – _Sasako-chan_!"

Takizawa stood in the lobby, blankly watching his friend chase after the retreating lady. He glanced down at his own bento and made an about-face back through the RC Gate and towards the canteen, ignoring the others that had began watching the impromptu drama.

Looks like he and Nagachika would have to take a rain check on lunch. The blond had a pretty girlfriend to appease.

He didn't see the faux blond again that day, but judging by how Nagachika turned up for lunch with a bento in tow the following day, it seemed that all was well in paradise for those two.

He sighed.

"Hm?" Nagachika looked up from his delicious-looking bento box. "Something wrong?"

"No," Takizawa mumbled. "Just thinking."

 _Having a girlfriend must be nice._

* * *

 **A/N with some more Japanese culture/history.**

 **(1) Obentou/Bento =** A lacquered or decorated wooden Japanese lunchbox; A Japanese-style packed lunch, consisting of items such as rice, vegetables, raw or cooked fish, or other cooked meats, often formed or arranged in an artistic manner.

 **(2) Sakazuki =** A flat, saucer-like cup used for drinking sake; The cup-exchange drinking ceremony that was historically used to formalize deals or promises.

In Shinto wedding ceremonies, _sakazuki_ is performed three times, fortifying the bond of husband and wife.

Yakuza syndicates consider themselves families. Taking in miscreants off the streets, the elders act as surrogate parents, teaching the young the ways of the Yakuza. In fact, the Yakuza formalize this pseudo-adoption via _sakazuki._

In the Yakuza, _sakazuki_ is extremely important and specific in many ways as it literally symbolizes the formation of a family. Although there are different forms of _sakazuki_ among different Yakuza families, many of the ceremonies accomplish similar goals despite being called different names by different families.

The four, most important ceremonies are _atomesouzoku_ (succession) _,_ oyakosakazuki (parent-child) _, kyoudaisakazuki_ (brother-brother) _, and nakanaorisakazuki_ (reconciliation).

The sakazuki ceremony itself is extremely formal.

 **If you want to read more about the rest of the ceremony, you can get the link on the AO3 counterpart of this chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul**

 **Warning: AU; Possible OOCness; Misunderstandings and Misconceptions; Outsider POV - Kuroiwa Takeomi**

 **UnBeta'd**

* * *

Kuroiwa Takeomi had never met the new hire from the 20th Ward. Like many others, he knew of the volatile relationship between Nerima and the CCG. It was infamous, really.

He had first heard whispers about the young man from the Academy. He couldn't exactly remember who he first heard it from, but it was all just mutterings here and there – some from the instructors, some from his classmates – until all of a sudden, everyone had known about it.

About a boy – just slightly older than them – from Nerima, no less, who had defied all expectations and preconceptions about the denizens of the 20th Ward and had willingly gone to work under the very organization his people despised.

Although he was focused on training and schoolwork, it was difficult to not hear anything about the strange boy from 20. For months, it seemed as if that boy, Naga- _something,_ was all anyone talked about anymore.

Some were skeptical, Kuroiwa knew. Some didn't believe that the boy was from the 20th Ward at all. On the other hand, some did, but couldn't bring themselves to believe that the boy had gone to work for the CCG willingly. Others thought that he was sent by 20 to spy on them.

When he had sat down for a family dinner – which was steadily becoming rare, given his father's increasing workload – his father had only said one thing about the boy from 20.

" _Don't listen to those rumors. Nagachika is a hard worker."_

That was enough to sate his curiosity.

Kuroiwa tuned out the rumors at school and continued focusing on his training. Though, in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but admire this "Nagachika" character. There were already some scathing rumors in the Academy about him, what more could he be facing in the Headquarters itself? Yet, despite it all, the boy still came into work everyday to do his job – and somehow balance his coursework at Kamii University, if rumors were to be believed.

The Kuroiwa family had always admired strong work ethic. People with a strong character even more so.

He hoped to one-day meet Nagachika, and maybe even work alongside him if the older boy decided to still stick around by the time Kuroiwa graduated his Academy training.

The days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. And it didn't take long before Nagachika faded to the back of everyone's mind.

Somewhere along the line, a new restaurant opened up to replace an abandoned building. Kuroiwa would pass by it on his commute to and from the Academy. It probably took a few weeks of renovation before it officially opened, but he never really paid much attention to it.

To be honest, the only reason he realized the place had finally opened for business was when he had passed by it on the way home from the Academy one evening. It had been getting dark out and he could see the lights inside through the windows and vaguely make out the silhouettes of the people inside.

Still, he had continued to ignore it.

He couldn't remember exactly when he decided to finally step inside the establishment, but as time passed, his curiosity grew and grew. Every time he had passed by it on his way home or to the Academy, he never failed to smell the delicious aroma of food. The place seemed to be rather popular as well. Customers going in and out of its doors did nothing to keep the smell locked inside.

The Kuroiwa family had always placed an importance on eating good food. And the smells coming from the restaurant were absolutely heavenly.

Some of his classmates had apparently heard of the place as well, and with finals week finally over, everyone wanted to relax a bit.

" _Let's all go to that new restaurant down the street,"_ they had said.

" _The one with the weird name?"_

" _Yeah, that one!"_

Half of the class decided to go and since he had been planning on going to the restaurant anyway, Kuroiwa didn't reject the invitation, only taking a moment on his phone to inform his mother that he would be having dinner with his classmates.

The restaurant, it turned out, was half café, half restaurant, with the majority of it's patrons there for its coffee, cakes, and free wifi. Their arrival had drawn a few looks, but Kuroiwa hazarded that it was probably due to their numbers. A few tables and chairs had to be pulled together in a corner slightly removed from the rest of the restaurant to accommodate their party, and Kuroiwa felt rather sheepish in hindsight after realizing that their group should have made a reservation instead of coming in unannounced, hoping that there would be enough tables and chairs to accommodate them all.

After the staff had managed to seat them, a vaguely familiar-looking girl their age came up to them with a smile on her face and handed them their menus. The girl's eyes seemed to flicker with something the moment their eyes met, but it was gone before he could identify it. It had disappeared so quickly, Kuroiwa wasn't sure if it had been his imagination or not.

The rest of the evening went by smoothly. The girl who had given them the menus was also the one to come back with their orders. Right after confirming that nothing else was needed, she had quickly gone to the back, away from sight. Despite the comings and goings of other customers, they didn't see her again until it was time to claim the bill.

The other staff members in the restaurant-café never approached their table, though Kuroiwa guessed that tables were assigned to certain staff members. It might have been because they were seated in a corner away from the main dining area. He wasn't sure, but he paid it no mind.

After paying for their meals, the group split into smaller groups based on the direction they would take to go home. It was dark out, after all, and groups had less of a chance of getting victimized by ghouls at this time of night. After reaching a corner, Kuroiwa soon had to separate from his company, exchanging goodbyes, and making sure to stick to well-lit, crowded areas on his way home. They all agreed to message each other to confirm if they had made it home safely.

The restaurant wasn't actually too far from his house, so it didn't take him long to send his message to his group the moment he stepped inside to take off his shoes after announcing "I'm home," to the house.

Time passed by uneventfully. He went to the Academy, trained and studied, and went home for dinner. Life was routine. He didn't go to the restaurant-café again for some time. His curiosity had been sated and his schedule was too busy for him to give it another thought.

One weekend, however, he passed by the restaurant again on the way to the Academy for extra training, and his mundane routine subtly broke. He spotted the girl who had been his table's waitress that evening and exchanged polite bows in passing before going about the rest of his day.

They began exchanging greetings like this on the few occasions their paths would cross. Somewhere along the line, their silent greetings turned into pleasantries, and eventually, it became small-talk whenever time would permit.

He learned that she was his age, if slightly younger, and that she was working part-time in the restaurant while attending a normal high school. She worked in the kitchen and had aspirations of being a chef. He also learned that she had helped make their food that evening his class had come in for dinner.

He never asked why she worked as their waitress when she was supposed to be working in the kitchen.

She never offered an explanation.

During their interactions, he began to notice that she always wore black and white rabbits on her person: as an accessory on her bag, print on her clothes, or jewelry to wear. It was never just a black or white rabbit, either. It was always both – either two individual icons or one half-and-half.

He wondered what the significance of it was.

"It's my lucky charm," she said with a smile. "I never leave home without it."

She wore a rabbit necklace and hairclip this time around. A rabbit charm hung on both her bag and her phone, as usual. She said she never wore a ring or bracelet because she'd have to take them off in the kitchen.

 _She was a little obsessed_ , he thought. But it was a harmless quirk.

Yet, he was ashamed to say that despite their multiple interactions and friendly conversations, they had never exchanged names. Privately, he wondered if he should break the status quo and formally introduce himself or if that would break their easy exchanges.

Even now, he thought she looked familiar, as if he had met her before, and wondered if maybe her name would jog his memory. Still, he debated with himself.

His mother had told him on several occasions that he needed to lighten up a bit – that he was too serious sometimes and that she wished he could act more his age. He'd heard similarly from his civilian-inclined classmates that he should "live a little" before the "CCG sucks the life out" of him, as they so wantonly claimed.

He knew that most kids his age didn't train to become a future CCG Investigator. Most of them went to a regular high school and had girlfriends and social lives that weren't limited to spars and classroom interactions.

His mother wanted him to be more social, and his father always told him to find a girl who knew how to cook good food.

While he didn't think he could commit to spending time on romance when he could be training, he wasn't averse to the idea of maintaining some sort of friendship with his new rabbit-obsessed acquaintance.

If it developed any further than friendship, he found that he didn't mind the idea at all.

Though, if he was going to pursue a deeper relationship with her than just being passing acquaintances, he should probably go about properly introducing himself and getting her name in turn.

* * *

 **Umm... Edited the past chaps a bit if you guys wanna check it out. Not really any major changes. Just added a couple words here and there and tweaked with a few sentences.**

 **R &R please! Hope you all had a good December :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul**

 **Warnings: AU; Possible OOCness; some Misunderstandings and Misconceptions; Outsider POV – Atou Daisuke**

 **UnBeta'd**

* * *

Atou Daisuke was at first a bit apprehensive of the rumored Nagachika, despite never having met the boy, if only because of the infamous volatile relationship the CCG had with the boy's Ward. Occasionally, Atou would catch snippets of conversations from his colleagues regarding the boy.

In the beginning, it was about how mouthy he was, how he picked fights with investigators with a smile plastered on his face. Then, it was how no one could believe a boy like him could possibly be a Kamii student, and then how, people muttered grudgingly, it was possible as evidenced by his contributions in Marude's department. There were some murmurs here and there about how the kid was probably trying to sabotage them from the inside out as well. Time passed, and the malicious rumors began to die down as Nagachika slowly integrated himself into the CCG.

Rumors of Nagachika didn't stop though.

Despite having had no virtual interest in the gossip, it was inevitable for Atou to learn about the boy as if via osmosis:

A young man, barely into his majority, who wore a cheerful disposition to match his bright-colored, definitely out-of-regulations, hair. Who, despite adhering to the CCG dress code, would always appear as if he wasn't, simply because of his hair or whatever color checkered collared shirt he'd wear under his uniform. He favored black and white checkered handkerchiefs for some odd reason and would have his bento wrapped in a matching checkered cloth. Some speculated it was in reference to his monochrome-themed girlfriend, Sasako, who supposedly made the boy's lunches whenever he would remember to bring it to work. Though, according to some sources, Nagachika only thought of the girl as a friend or sworn sibling, which had caused some to sigh at the concept of unrequited love.

Or something along those lines.

Some theorized that the "best-friend" and the one who Nagachika referenced as his "brother in all but blood" was the girl's brother.

And then there were the strange rumors of the boy's supposed connections to the Yakuza.

Atou had yet to officially meet Nagachika face to face and he already felt like he knew more about the boy than a stranger ought to. However, despite having heard of the boy through the proverbial grapevine, Atou still wasn't prepared to find how utterly _young_ Nagachika was.

The first time Atou had met Nagachika, it was during an impromptu confrontation with a young ghoul with a cat mask. He and his partner had discovered it while it was in the middle of eating a homeless man. At the time, Atou hadn't realized who the gawking schoolboy was – his focus torn between fighting the monster in question who had already wounded his partner and trying to get the civilian away from the fight. Then, to his horror, the ghoul had paused, sniffed the air, and turned its attention to the young blond _who was stupidly watching the fight_ despite the numerous times Atou had yelled at the boy to escape.

The small, masked ghoul seemingly stared at the boy for a good second with a tilted head before it sniffed towards the boy's direction. "That smell…"

Atou tensed, ready to jump between the boy and the ghoul in case the little fiend decided it wanted a snack. A breeze swept towards the ghoul, and the monster recoiled as if hit before deciding to flee to the rooftops.

With the threat gone, Atou turned his attention to the stubborn civilian and his wounded partner.

"I called for some help." The boy held up his phone and said, "they should be here soon," before running off without another word. And sure enough, Atou heard footsteps approaching and turned to find a pair of investigators heading towards him and his injured partner.

The second time he met Nagachika, a month or so had passed and his partner was still undergoing physical therapy. Atou had just finished a debriefing and managed to stop himself from bumping into the boy and spilling the stack of papers the blond had been carrying.

"Excuse me," Atou had said apologetically, before taking in the boy's familiar appearance. He had recognized him as that schoolboy who had called for reinforcements for him and his partner a month or so back – a young face sporting blond hair with dark roots and a checkered collar.

"It's you!" The boy must have recognized him as well. "You're Associate Special Class Atou, aren't you?"

Atou nodded and hazard a guess. There was only one young man in the CCG who fit the boy's description. "You must be Nagachika Hideyoshi."

"Yep!" The boy beamed. "How's your partner doing? Last time I saw him he was pretty roughed up."

"He's doing much better," Atou supplied kindly. "Although I didn't agree with how you stayed behind during the fight, I must thank you for calling in reinforcements that night."

"Oh, yeah." Nagachika grinned. "No prob. Sorry about running off so suddenly afterwards. I had to rush home to feed a new stray we recently adopted."

Atou smiled. "I understand. I'm just glad you were able to make it home safely. Your family must be very kind to welcome a stray into your home."

"Well, we couldn't just leave the little kitten to starve." Nagachika gave an exasperated laugh. "You should see my friend Neki, though. He just picks them up left and right!"

The third time he met Nagachika, Atou had been on his way home and had caught a glimpse of familiar dirty blond hair from the corner of his eye. When he turned, he discovered Nagachika standing in front of a bookstore, wearing a checkered scarf pulled up high enough to touch his nose.

The boy turned and caught his eyes and eye-smiled with a wave. "Atou-san!"

Atou smiled in return and approached. "Nagachika-kun, how are you?"

"Never better! You on your way home?"

Atou nodded in response. "Yes. How about you, Nagachika-kun? It's getting a bit late."

"Nah, not yet." Nagachika looked towards the bookstore's entrance. "I'm waiting for someone."

"Oh, a date?" Atou lightly teased. Nagachika was at that age, and Atou recalled the rumors of the boy's girl-friend, or was it, _girlfriend?_

Nagachika blinked at him before laughing. "Oh, nothing like that!" He grinned. "I heard Takatsuki Sen is gonna stop by, so I wanted to get her autograph for a friend."

"Takatsuki Sen," Atou mused, "Is she a celebrity? She sounds familiar."

"I guess? She's a popular author. My friend's a huge fan of her books. His dad's pretty into her other works too," Nagachika babbled. "Apparently she's coming out with a new book or something."

They chatted a bit after that before Nagachika shooed him off, insisting that Atou didn't need to stay to make sure Nagachika wouldn't be attacked by a stray ghoul.

"Don't worry about me," Nagachika insisted, grinning as he tugged on his checkered scarf. "No ghoul would dare mess with me. I got my lucky charm! It hasn't failed me yet!"

It didn't really ease Atou's worry about leaving a defenseless schoolboy out all by his lonesome in the late evening. Despite working in the CCG, the boy was a noncombatant, and Atou wasn't sure if the boy was truly aware of the danger ghouls posed. Nerima wasn't known for its ghoul attacks after all.

Still, he knew a lost cause when he saw one, and he had already pegged Nagachika to be a willful boy, especially after that first meeting of theirs. So, with a rueful smile and a hair ruffle to that blond hair, he bid the boy good night and hoped the kid would make it home safely.

Despite his initial apprehension about the boy when he first heard of him, Atou had to admit that the kid had a heart of gold and a stubborn streak that the rest of Nerima was known for.

The only thing missing was some self-preservation.

* * *

 **Atou Daisuke is a canon character, though a very minor one, who appeared in the Auction arc (basically was just cannon fodder lol).**

 **I honestly don't remember too much about him aside from the fact that he was considered to be very kind and gentle – a father towards his men – and that he went all "wtf marude?!" when teenaged Arima was sent out to kill ghouls lol**

 **Anyway, if he was OOC, I apologise.**

 **I wanted to introduce another character into the fold, but I guess this fic wants to unravel slowly instead. Thanks for reading! R &R please :D**


End file.
